The invention relates to telecommunications connectors for coupling cables transmitting voice and/or data signals and in particular is directed to a telecommunications plug and telecommunications adapter having enhanced performance characteristics. Improvements in telecommunications systems have resulted in the ability to transmit voice and/or data signals along transmission lines at increasingly higher frequencies. Several industry standards that specify multiple performance levels of twisted-pair cabling components have been established. The primary references, considered by many to be the international benchmarks for commercially based telecommunications components and installations, are standards ANSI/TIA/EIA-568-A (/568) Commercial Building Telecommunications Cabling Standard and 150/IEC 11801 (/11801), generic cabling for customer premises.
For example, Category 3, 4 and 5 cable and connecting hardware are specified in both /568 and /11801, as well as other national and regional specifications. In these specifications, transmission requirements for Category 3 components are specified up to 16 MHZ. Transmission requirements for Category 4 components are specified up to 20 MHZ. Transmission requirements for Category 5 components are specified up to 100 MHZ. New standards are being developed continuously and currently it is expected that future standards will require transmission requirements of at least 600 MHZ.
The above referenced transmission requirements also specify limits on near-end crosstalk (NEXT). Often, telecommunications connectors are organized in sets of pairs, typically made up of a tip and ring connector. As telecommunications connectors are reduced in size, adjacent pairs are placed closer to each other creating crosstalk between adjacent pairs. To comply with the near-end crosstalk requirements, a variety of techniques are used in the art.
Existing telecommunications products include plugs, outlets and connecting blocks. Each of these devices can suffer from crosstalk as the rate of transmission increases. Existing plugs, outlets and connecting blocks, such as those offered by The Siemon Company, provide for enhanced performance. While these products are well suited for their intended applications, there is a need in the art for a plug-adapter-plug system which facilitates moves and changes in telecommunications cabling systems and also meets high performance standards.
An exemplary embodiment of the invention is a telecommunications plug for use with a cable including a plurality of wires. The plug includes a plug base having a termination portion including a plurality of contact slots. Each contact slot receives one of the wires. A plurality of contacts each has an insulation displacement end and is positioned in a respective contact slot for establishing electrical connection with one of the wires. A plug cover having a plurality of ribs each aligned with one of the contact slots mates with the termination portion. The ribs contact the wires to provide strain relief to the wires.